November 2014

As a typical MOB (mom of boys) running a typical home, it’s not unusual to hear a basketball bouncing around in my living room or to stumble barefoot over a half-dozen mini LEGO cities in the middle of the kitchen. My house is just plain noisy with boyhood! My 6-…

Born in St. Louis, Sally Bagley considers herself very much a Virginian. Like many of us, the Richmond City resident and grandmother of five has grown to cherish Virginia for its geography, among other things. “Virginia is just so unique in that you can leave Richmond and travel for two…

From Richmond, Virginia to Broadway and back, Emily Skinner has wowed theater-goers since her elementary school days. How It All Started From her home in New York, Tony-nominated actress Emily Skinner told me about a little girl who was extremely unfocused – we’re talking bouncing-off-the-walls hyper – growing up in…

From Richmond, Virginia to Broadway and back, Emily Skinner has wowed theater-goers since her elementary school days. How It All Started From her home in New York, Tony-nominated actress Emily Skinner told me about a little girl who was extremely unfocused – we’re talking bouncing-off-the-walls hyper – growing up in…

  It’s that time of year again! Everybody is gearing up their Facebook statuses for thirty days of gratitude, and I can’t wait to read every single heartfelt sentiment. Even if it is November, thankfulness isn’t always easy. I can usually keep it up for about ten minutes before I…

I love thank yous – the words, the notes, giving thanks, receiving thanks. I love all things thankful. I love thank yous so much that when I receive a real, live, hand-written thank you note, I feel compelled to thank the sender. It’s a vicious cycle, resulting in so much…

How did that whole baby-proofing story play out at your house? This can be quite a thing for parents, especially if one of them reads way too much and the other has access to entirely too many tools. Sound like someone you know? Fortunately for us, there was a mitigating…

What I remember most is the rain. All day, all night, pounding down on the two-man Army-style canvas tent, leaking through the floor, running like a cold river from the head of my pathetic sleeping bag all the way down to the toe. Wet, cold, and miserable, hour after hour,…

My husband and I are the parents of one spirited 6-year-old. Although our nuclear family is small, the extended one includes grandparents, an aunt, cousins, a Godfather, self-proclaimed “agnostic parents,” and fairy godparents. And yes, I’m aware that those last two warrant a bit of explaining. Shortly after our daughter…

Beef Pot Roast with Wine-Seasoned Au Jus Preheat oven to 325°. Heat large Dutch oven on medium. Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil to Dutch oven. Trim, salt, and pepper 4 pounds of chuck roast, and sear on all sides. Remove meat from Dutch oven and set aside. Add more…

As a parent of two young children, I know I look closely at every scrape and cut, worrying if it is going to leave a mark on my kids’ delicate skin. For some people, scars are a badge of honor, for others, scars represent an amazing story, like a child…

The little guy at Walnut Hill Elementary School in Petersburg peered into his gift bag of books. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Where the Wild Things Are was one of his absolute favorites; he had always selected it at the school library. And now, he would have his very own…

The warm cuddly feeling of a puppy snuggling up in your lap is one of the best feelings in the world, right? Breathing in the sweet smell of puppy breath can be equally amazing. Having the kids scamper downstairs on Christmas morning and squeal in delight when the puppy jumps…

Q:  With all of the attention being given to domestic violence and abuse in the last few months, my wife has said, No football ever! for our 7- and 5-year-old sons. I understand these are important topics, but how I can I help her see that calling all football players…

The art of bookbinding became popular in the twentieth century when designers started making book covers to complement the contents inside. Examples of these ornately decorated books can be seen not only in library collections, but also in art galleries. Try binding a custom-made book of your own.   What…

As Thanksgiving approaches, we begin  a season of buying and giving. We make lists and hunt for perfect gifts. We spend more time with family and friends, entertaining, eating, and celebrating. It is an exciting time of year, but along with the joys come financial temptations and challenges: The holiday…

Kate thought she was losing her mind. She knew she was a rational person, yet she could not stop thinking about – obsessing about – her uncertainty as a mother. What if she made a mistake? What if she harmed her child? What if she snapped and lost self-control? With…